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The race to be the next Miami-Dade County mayor is down to two, after voters threw their support behind former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina and former County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez but failed to give either candidate more than 50 percent of the votes required to crown a winner.
The election -- which was voters' first crack at remaking the leadership of Miami-Dade County's much-maligned county government -- now sets the stage for a month-long campaign between the two candidates that will culminate June 28.
From the start, Robaina and Gimenez were pegged as frontrunners among 11 candidates in the short sprint of a campaign that didn't officially start until last month, following the March 15 ouster of county mayor Carlos Alvarez by an overwhelming margin.
With all precincts reporting, Robaina won 62,829 votes or 34 percent, and Gimenez garnered 53,803 votes, or 29 percent.
At campaign rallies Tuesday night both candidates immediately pledged to throw themselves into what promises to be a spirited runoff campaign.
Robaina, who raised $1.2 million -- the only candidate to surpass the $1 million mark -- took the stage with his wife and three oldest sons at the historic Hialeah race track after former congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart introduced him as the next county mayor.
"Can I count on you?" Robaina, who has promised to deliver added reforms along with jump-starting the local economy, asked the crowd of more than 200 people. The candidate said he would ask others to join his team and "be part of the orange shirts." The former mayor added that he was "very, very positive" with his numbers Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Robaina had held out hope for more -- namely, surpassing 50 percent to secure victory. Speaking at Milander Park in the heart of Hialeah before the results starting streaming in, he said, "I would hope there's not another election coming up, that we can finish today."
Gimenez pulled into the parking lot of the Sabor de EspaƱa restaurant in Coral Gables Tuesday night in a blue Ford pickup to a jubilant crowd of about 250 people who erupted into applause and chants of "Gimenez! Gimenez!"
His shoulders slightly hunched, a grinning Gimenez repeated his campaign themes of bringing back honesty and integrity to county government.
"They outraised us 3 to 1, they were unbeatable. No, uh-uh," said Gimenez, who raised $450,018. "We've come a long way, but we're going to finish what we've started. Tomorrow we start to work."
Over the past month and a half, the 11 candidates sought to tap into that voter discontent by portraying themselves as best suited to right-size and redirect a government charged with important responsibilities like running Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami, but widely viewed as bloated, inefficient and, at times, corrupt.
The field included a host of political novices who shared a mutual frustration with county government. But immediate name recognition or political experience, along with a knack for quickly raising money, proved to be prerequisites in a race that provided so little time for newcomers to connect with voters.
Trailing behind the two front-runners: former state legislator Marcelo Llorente, with 27,699 votes, or 15 percent, and Luther "Luke" Campbell, the former front man for 2 Live Crew, who won 20,663 votes, or 11 percent.
None of the other candidates eclipsed four percent.
For his part, Llorente issued a statement saying, "Although our campaign came up short tonight, I remain undeterred in my efforts to bring real reform to the community we call home." He urged voters to remain engaged in the run-off phase of the campaign, saying the "future of our community rests with the residents taking charge of County Hall."
Campbell, speaking at the Palm Gardens restaurant in Miami Gardens, said the campaign was initially viewed as a joke but people now take him seriously.
"This is just an appetizer. This is just the beginning," said Campbell, who added that next month's winner will still have to face voters in the regularly scheduled election next year.
"We can still run in 2012 and win this thing," Campbell said.
The election -- which was voters' first crack at remaking the leadership of Miami-Dade County's much-maligned county government -- now sets the stage for a month-long campaign between the two candidates that will culminate June 28.
From the start, Robaina and Gimenez were pegged as frontrunners among 11 candidates in the short sprint of a campaign that didn't officially start until last month, following the March 15 ouster of county mayor Carlos Alvarez by an overwhelming margin.
With all precincts reporting, Robaina won 62,829 votes or 34 percent, and Gimenez garnered 53,803 votes, or 29 percent.
At campaign rallies Tuesday night both candidates immediately pledged to throw themselves into what promises to be a spirited runoff campaign.
Robaina, who raised $1.2 million -- the only candidate to surpass the $1 million mark -- took the stage with his wife and three oldest sons at the historic Hialeah race track after former congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart introduced him as the next county mayor.
"Can I count on you?" Robaina, who has promised to deliver added reforms along with jump-starting the local economy, asked the crowd of more than 200 people. The candidate said he would ask others to join his team and "be part of the orange shirts." The former mayor added that he was "very, very positive" with his numbers Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Robaina had held out hope for more -- namely, surpassing 50 percent to secure victory. Speaking at Milander Park in the heart of Hialeah before the results starting streaming in, he said, "I would hope there's not another election coming up, that we can finish today."
Gimenez pulled into the parking lot of the Sabor de EspaƱa restaurant in Coral Gables Tuesday night in a blue Ford pickup to a jubilant crowd of about 250 people who erupted into applause and chants of "Gimenez! Gimenez!"
His shoulders slightly hunched, a grinning Gimenez repeated his campaign themes of bringing back honesty and integrity to county government.
"They outraised us 3 to 1, they were unbeatable. No, uh-uh," said Gimenez, who raised $450,018. "We've come a long way, but we're going to finish what we've started. Tomorrow we start to work."
Over the past month and a half, the 11 candidates sought to tap into that voter discontent by portraying themselves as best suited to right-size and redirect a government charged with important responsibilities like running Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami, but widely viewed as bloated, inefficient and, at times, corrupt.
The field included a host of political novices who shared a mutual frustration with county government. But immediate name recognition or political experience, along with a knack for quickly raising money, proved to be prerequisites in a race that provided so little time for newcomers to connect with voters.
Trailing behind the two front-runners: former state legislator Marcelo Llorente, with 27,699 votes, or 15 percent, and Luther "Luke" Campbell, the former front man for 2 Live Crew, who won 20,663 votes, or 11 percent.
None of the other candidates eclipsed four percent.
For his part, Llorente issued a statement saying, "Although our campaign came up short tonight, I remain undeterred in my efforts to bring real reform to the community we call home." He urged voters to remain engaged in the run-off phase of the campaign, saying the "future of our community rests with the residents taking charge of County Hall."
Campbell, speaking at the Palm Gardens restaurant in Miami Gardens, said the campaign was initially viewed as a joke but people now take him seriously.
"This is just an appetizer. This is just the beginning," said Campbell, who added that next month's winner will still have to face voters in the regularly scheduled election next year.
"We can still run in 2012 and win this thing," Campbell said.
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